Natchez and Adams County governments may soon be sharing their communities with the online world.

The city and county have hired a Jackson company, U.S. NetworX, to design and build a separate Web site for each.

Officials from both governments agreed an online home would provide information for residents and help advertise the community to those looking to invest in the area.

The county board of supervisors approved the purchase of a Web site at their Nov. 21 meeting, and County Administrator Cathy Walker said the initial design and setup fee would be $14,525.

Right now, there is very little information available about Adams County online, Walker said. The new Web site, scheduled to be up and running soon after the New Year, will not only provide information but will be interactive, she said.

“If I want to purchase my car tag without going to the courthouse and standing in line, I will be able to,” Walker said. “If I want to pay my property tax at midnight, I can do that.”

This is the county’s third attempt to set up a Web site, she said.

Twice, once several years ago and again over a year ago, the county contracted with local businesses, but the sites never materialized.

So, when the larger company U.S. NetworX presented their ideas, Walker was enthusiastic.

“They were able to show us work they had done and guarantee they would have us online in 45 days,” she said. “And, yes, it probably is a little more expensive, but we’ve been trying to do this for years.”

Also, no one in the county government really had the skills and experience necessary to design a Web site, she said.

“To have to pay a county employee full time to do just that would cost us more,” she said.

The county’s Web site would likely look like Madison County’s site, www.madison-co.com, another product of U.S. NetworX, Walker said.

Natchez Mayor Phillip West said the city would benefit from a new Web site, too. Because the only current government information about Natchez online is through the chamber of commerce’s site.

“The city has a lot more to sell than what we’ve been selling,” West said. “We need to be able to provide information to persons interested in the city,” West said. “Whether it’s trying to develop a business or provide information on how to go about doing things without having to visit city hall.”

The city site, too, would be in the $15,000 range, and the city will probably close the deal in the next week or so, West said.

“We anticipate having those funds available in the not-so-distant future,” West said.

“Part of a grant form the federal government does allow for the development of a city Web site.”

The city received the grant earlier this year, but they are still in the process of finalizing how the funds will be used.

West, too, said the city needed someone with experience developing other Web sites in other communities.

“Based on (the company’s) presentation, it would be in our best interest to make sure someone is involved who is familiar with various options we would have,” he said.

Plans for the site include a page for each alderman to post what is happening in his or her ward.

“It will be a real addition in terms of communication — not only local communication, but nationally and internationally, as well,” West said.